Flying-machine parachute.



Patented Sept 19 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 l/vvf/vron\ t/wwzh/ 745900072! mann/EVS J W DOLSON e FLYING MACHINE PARACHUTB.

APPLICATION FILED APE.7. 1911. 1,003,714.

J. W. DOLSON.

FLYING MACHINE PARAGHUTE.

APPLIUATION FILED Amm. 1911.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f Aall. .zr/121111 WIT/VESSES:

ATTORNEYS STATES PATENT OFFICE.

To all `whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jos'mii lV. DoLsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident .-of. the city of New York, borough 4of Manl.liattain in the county and State of New York, have .invented a new and Improved slilying-Machine Parachute', of which the dents which, havev happened recently in.` p connection withfaeroplanes, the destruction to life and liiiibv Awasdiie'to the fact that when the aeroplane tui'ned turtle or fell to thegrounchfor any'reasomthe aviator was unable to get away from the flying machine and support himself in the air, and of necessity `tell to the ground and yas injured.

It 'is thereforegaii object of this invention i to provide a parachute for a flying machine which will! correspond to a lifeboat on a water vessel, and enable the aviator to de- .tach l'iimself'saicly from the aero-plane in case of accident to the latter.

further object of this invention is tov provide an aeroplane with one or more parachutes,which, when not in use can be4 collapsed out of'lthe way, in a position where they will offer least resistance tothe flight .of theinachine, and yet so constructed and connected that theyl can be readily extended i andl opened', land in fact, detached, so as to support the aviator in the air and allow-him to reach the 'ground in safety.

A still further objectof this invention is to provide a parachutel which may be ex tended and let outlan'y desired distance from' the aeroplane, soas toaid in supporting the same, iile'cessa'ry, and to act'as anl air anchor. i l 1 Y,

These andfurther objects, together with the construction land combination ot parts, will be'inoreli'ully described hereinafter and particularly se'tforth inthe claims.

Reference istobe hadtoI the accoiiapany ing drawings forming a part of this specificatioi'i,1 in which Isimilar charactersof reference indicate corresi'ionding parts in all the views, and inwhich- Figure 1 is afpersp'ective View showing my device attached to" an aeroplane and in FLYING-MACHINE PARACHUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.` i Patented Sept, 19, 1911 Application filed April 7, 1911.

Serial No. 619,534. i V.

is a fragmentary view, partly in section,

showing the parachute inits reclining closed position; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative position of the y ribs and springs of the parachute when the latter is closed; Fig.' 5 is a fragmentary view ot one type of lock for securing the flexible connections; Fig. (3 is a fragmentary section oit' a modified form of means for securing the parachute to the flying machine; Fig. 'T is a fragmentary view of a modified form, of hinge connection between l.the `b acket and the support on the 'flying niaehine; and Fig. S is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of spring hinge connection between the ribs and the rod. v

Referring more particularly to the separate parts'o'f' the invention as embodied in the forms shown in th'edrawings, 1 indicates an aeroplane, which may be of any suitablel type. to which my device is shown asl at- 4forms the base for attaching the parachute to the flying machine. It is 'desirable that the parachute, which is indicated at'3, may be attached to the support 2, and thus to the flying machine in such a manner that it 1 can'be held in an erect position, as `indicated in Fig. 1, when it is desired to use the same, and that it also can be collapsed out of the way and' laid down'along the top of the aeroplane inthe position indicated in Fig) 3. This may be done in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to provide a bracket 4, which is shown in the nature of a tube, and is adjustably connected to the support 2 in any manner suitable to automatically erect the bracket, and thus the parachute, when the securing means therefor is released. I have shown one means of accomplishing this purpose. which consists in providing a spiral spring 5, formed tubular, so as to form an extension of thc bracket i, and secured'at its 'upper end to the bracket, and at its lower 'end to the support 2, in alinement with an `opening therethrough.

"The parachute proper 3 may be of any suitable structure, but isl preferably provided with a rod 6, 4which may slide into the bracket 4. Pivotally connected to the rod I ico tied to the .rod .6 by braces 8, which prevent are so arra-nged'thatl they can be collapsed the inversion of the parachute when in use. The. ribs- 7 are coveredwith any suitable fabric or web, indicated at 28, so 'Vasto form an umbrella-like structure when. open, 'which will catch the air-'and permit tire aviator to float slowly. to the ground insafety. It is :preferred that the parachute should open automatically, and for this purpose, I

have provided one or more springs 9, which und-er tension, into the position indicated in Fig. 4, from which position, however, they will automatically expand andopen 'outinto the position indicatedlin Fig.j2, whereby they will automatically spread the parachute.

The parachute 3 may be held 'toy the bracket 4 in any suitableinanner, and I have shown two vnie'ans for 'accomplishing 'this' purpose. In the forni shown .in 6, the rod is'provid'ed with an opening,by which it engages over a lug 10 on" the bracket it,y

`'which lug is curved so as to permitthe ready release of the rod and parachute. LFor securing the rod 6 on the parachute, I provide in this instance a bolt 11, which is connected to a take-offl flexible connection 12., .which may be of anysuitable character, such as a rope, chain, or cable. This take-off connection is shown as passing through an eyelct 13, so that when the aviator desires to releasethe parachute, he can pull on the takeoff connection 12, thus pulling out the bolt 11 and releasing thepa'rachute, at the same .understood when taken inv connection with.

' time'liolding on to the take-,off rope, so that he will be supported the parachute. I

Another and ,preferred form for securing the parachute to the flyingmachine is to provide'a'fiexible connection 14," which may beof any suitable character, such as a chain, rope or cable, and is. in the nature of a tie,l

for securing the parachute to the vflying ma@ chine. @ne endv ofthe tie or flexible connection 14l is secured'tothe lower end ofthe rod 6 and extends through the. tubular 'bracket 4, the ltubular spring 55, and toa point on the flying machine located so as to be convenient to thev aviator, where it may be secured in any suitable ina-nner, as by means ofl al cleat l15. In this instance, the take-off connection., here also indicated by the numeral 12, is vrsecured, to 'the rod G at any suitable point, yThe opposite end vofthe takeoff rope 12 may bepsecuhred in any suitable nianner, as byineansvof an enlargement 16 thereon passing\beynd the slotted cleat 17. Any suitable means for furnishing a secure grip of the take-off rope may be provided so that the aviator will have no difficulty in suspending .himself from the parachute, as for example,- the hand rings 18.

in its collapsed position anr1 in close yiuXtaposition tothe flying machine out of the air, any. suitable means may be used, such as a loop Jlock 19 passing` around theends of the ribs yamil/around the. bracket 4, and

then passingythrough one ormore openings 20 in the support 2to a'- point where the ends of the loop .may .be secured in any suitable inanner, as by means of a groovedcleat 21.

,It may be sometimes necessarylto add toy the strength ofthe parachute by tying the ends of the ribs 7 to the rod6 bymeans of flexible connections 22, which radiate from the ribs to the rod.` These connections may be used'iii place of thebraces 8, or in addiz tion to the braces 8.

secured respectively vto the bracket 4v andi the support 2.. This hinge is provided with a spring ,wound around. its'pivot, atV 26, with l" yIn Fig. 7 is shown .apreferred of spring hinge connection. of the bracket 4 with y u the support 2., In this case, there isused a a tension tending to normally raiseithe vbracket into its uprighty position, lor permit. itto be folded down into. a horizontal Vposition corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4.'

In Fig.,8 is shown a modified form of connection of the ribs withwthe rod, which consists in providing spring 'latches 27, which jare adapted to' permit the collapsing ofthe ribs close on to the rod, rbut yet normally tending to expand or spread out .these ribs awayfrom the rod.

The' operation ofthe device will be readily the above description. When the aeroplane is flying-along under'norinal conditions, the

Aparachute will be collapsed in its depressed l condition, as indicated'in Fgig. 3, with the top end thereof facing in thedirection of flight, so as to offer little ,or no resistance to the air through which the aeroplane 'isrushi ing. If forl any reasonit should be desired i to use thev parachute, the loop lock 19 can .be readily. released by pulling the ends thereof out of the cleat 21, when the spring '5 will automatically act, swinging the parachute f into an erect position. When the parachute has reached its erect position, and even dur-' ing its upward movement, thel springs 9 will act sofas to spread out the ribs, and

`thus transform the collapsed parachute into an open or spread one. If'g the forni of means for securing Atliepaiachuteto the flying machine, such as that shown yin F G, is used, and it is desired to make a getaway from the flying machine, it is merely necessary to pull on the take-off connection 12, when the bolt 11 will be released, thus releasing the parachute.- If the formshown in the remaining figures is used, it is merely necessary to release the secured cnd of the tie 14, when the aviator can, by releasing the secured take-ott' rope or connection l2, suspend himseltl from the parachute, and thus glide safely to the earth, irrespective of the downward plunge ot' the aeroplane. It may be desired, however, in many instances, to merely let out the parachute, when spread out., to a suitable distance from theA aeroplane, to act as ay support or an air anchor. In this instance, the tie 1-l is released and letout the desired amount. and then secured.

It will thus be seen that there is provided -a new and improved parachute attachment l for an aeroplane, which may be used to act either-as an air anchor, or in the manner oi a lifeboat, to save thev aviator from bodily injury.

i/Vhile I have shown two embodiments ot' my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details thereof, but desire to be protected in various changes, alterationsand moditicationswhich may colne within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus. described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent y 1. The combinat-ion with an aeroplane, ot' a' parachute, a lock for securing said parachute normally in a collapsed position in close juxtaposition to said aeroplane, means for automatically erecting said parachute when said loc-k -is released, means for automatically spreading said parachute when said lock isreleased, means for detachably connect-ing said parachute to said aeroplane,

.and a take-,off connection, for supporting an aviator, secured to said parachute.

2. Thecombination with an aeroplane, of

.a parachute, a `lock for securing said para' chute normally in a collapsed position in close juxtaposltlon to said aeroplane, means for automatically erecting said parachute When said lock is released, meansfor auto- -maticallyV spreading said parachute when said lock is released, mea'ns for detachably connectin said parachute to said aeroplane, a take-o connection, Afor supporting an aviator, secured to said parachute, and means f for securing lsaid take-ott connection to said aeropl'ane.- y l 3. The comblnation wlth an aeroplane, of aspring connected to said aeroplane, a

bracket connected to said spring, and a parachute connected to said bracket, said spring being-adapted'to yield so as to permit said parachute to occupy a position 1n close 'juxtaposition to said aeroplane, but normally tending t-o erect said parachute.

l. The combination with an aeroplane, of a. spring connected .to said aeroplane, a bracket connected to said spring, a parachute connected to Said bracket, said springr being adapted to yield so as to permit said parachute to occupy a position in close juxtaposition4 to said aeroplane, but normally tending to erect said parachute, and a lock for securing said parachute in its position in close yjuxtaposition to said aeroplane.

The combination with .an aeroplane, of a tubular spring secured to said aeroplane, a tubular bracket secured to said spring, a

-.ing into said bracket, and a tie extending through said bracket and through said spring, for securing said parachute to said aeroplane..

(3.4 The combination with an aeroplane, of a tubular spring secured to said aeroplane, a tubular bracket secured to said sprmg, a parachute, having a portion therein? extending into said bracket, a tie extending through said-bracket and through said spring, for securing said parachute to said aeroplane, and a take-off rope secured to said parachute and extending outside of said bracket.

7. The .combination with an aeroplane, of a tubular spring secured to said aeroplane, a tubular bracket secured to said spring, a parachute, having a portion thereof extiending into said bracket,`a tie extending through said bracket and thrdugh said sprin ,for securing said parachute to said aerop ane, a take-ott rope secured to ,Said parachute and extending outside of said bracket, and spring means for automatically Spreading said parachute.

8. The combination with an aeroplane, of a parachute for said aeroplane, a lock for securing said parachute normally in a collapsed'position in close juxtaposition to said aeroplane, means for automatically erecting said parachute when said lock is released, means for detaehablyconnecting said parachuteto said areoplane, and a take-ofil connection for supporting an aviator, secured to said parachute.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name. to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

J OSIAH W.y DOLSON.

Witnesses:

f H. WHITING, J. P. DAVIS. 

